Colombia military Hercules crash: 71 rescued near Peru border
A Colombian Air Force Hercules C-130 transport plane carrying over 120 personnel crashed during takeoff on Monday in the country's southern Amazon region.
Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez confirmed the accident occurred at Puerto Leguizamo, near the border with Peru and Ecuador. The aircraft was transporting two military platoons when it reportedly erupted in flames shortly after leaving the runway.
“With deep sorrow, I report that a Hercules aircraft suffered a tragic accident while transporting our troops,” Sanchez stated on social media.
BREAKING: Colombian Air Force plane believed to be carrying 100 people crashes in Puerto Leguízamo, Putumayo pic.twitter.com/nBFGwNZS5M
— Rapid Report (@RapidReport2025) March 23, 2026
Military officials told Reuters that 71 people have been rescued from the wreckage so far. However, dozens remain missing or are feared dead among the 114 soldiers and 11 crew members estimated to be on board.
President Gustavo Petro described the event as a “horrific accident.” He criticized bureaucratic delays in his administration's plans to modernize the aging military fleet, stating that officials unable to meet safety challenges "must be removed."
Rescue teams and military units remain at the crash site, located approximately three kilometers (two miles) from the urban center. Investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing.
The Lockheed Martin C-130 has been a staple of the Colombian fleet since the 1960s. This incident follows another Hercules crash in neighboring Bolivia last month, which claimed over 20 lives.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
